Hug h smith



H. SMITH. Velocipede.

Patented Ma Ilillllllllllll'lllv :J- lllll a mmmllllllll HIIIHIII'HIHI Inv enter.' M

AHUGHQsMITH, or NEWARK, NEWJERsEr LezersPaamNo. cansada@ May 11,1869.

IMPRovEMENT IN vnnocxpnnns.

AdM-

` i 4 The Schedule referred to in these Letters, Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it concern l Be it known that I,A HUGH SMITH, of Newark, in the county of Essex, Statcof New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Velocipedes;

and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, formingfp'aid: dof this specification, in whichv drawing- Figure l-is a vertical `longitudinal section of a velocipede, made according Vto my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan `or` topiview thereof.

` Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to velocipedes which are propelled by means of the foot, and the same consists in several'novel features, as is hereinafter explained.

The letterA designates the driving-wheels, which are connectedby an axle, Bhaving two cranks, O,

formed thereon, extendingv in opposite directions, and between the cranks is arranged a brake-pulley, D, be-

` ueath and around which iscarried a friction-strap, or

band, E, whose ends are fastened respectively to the opposite sides of a pulley,`or block," F, on a rock-shaft, G, which is mountedin the saddle-frame of the veloci- `pede, and which is turned or operated by means of a brakefhandle, H, that risesalongside ofthe saddle.

The strap, or band E is made vto bind the friotiom pulley D, whichever'way the rock-shaft is turned, because while one end of the strap is carried 4upward by the rotation ofthe shaft, the other end is carried downward and inward, toward a vertical line, which would go through the axis of the brake-pulley, so that the strap will bind on the said pulley.

` The letterI'desgnatesthe leading wheel, which is set forward of the driving-wheels, in a liue' midway between them, jandfit isbonnected with them by means of a perch, J,`whose forward end is provided with a "collar or hub thatsets'over the'post K on the top of a verticalv standard, L, which has two legs, that straddletthe leading wheel, the bottom ends 'of the legs being formed with eyes, to receive the journal of said wheel. i

' The upper end of the/post K protrudes through the i perch J, andis squared to fit within a square moltise in the end of the Asteering-lever N, so that by turning said steering-lever,`the leading wheel can be moved sideways in either direction, and the velocipede can be convenientlyfsteered. e

The steering-lever is provided with 'a stop, a, which can be made to catch` in a socket in the end of the perch J, so that vsaid steering-leveris locked, and the leading wheel lis kept straight. l v v To the perch ,'s secured a dashboard,.0, over the leading wheel, in such a position that if theI velocipede runs atafrapid rate, the dirt thrown off'from the leading wheel is intercepted by said dash-board, and prevented from coming incontact with theperson occupying the saddle. L,

. A similar dash-board may be appliedl to each of the hind. or .driving-wheels.

The motion of my velocipede is producedby the action of the feet on treadles P, which are supported upon rods Q, extending from the cranks C of the axle B, to cranks f of a shaft, g, which has its bearing in a hanger, 'h, attached to the perch, as shown in g..1.

Y, The cranks C and j are placed respectively at angles of one hundred/and eighty degrees toward each other,

so that the rods Q are parallel to each other, but one lis going up when the other is going down, vice'cersa.

The length ofthe rods Q is intended to be adjustable by providing said rods vat one or both ends with ad justable boxes.

AThe treadles P are supported by friction-rollers t, which bear on the rods Q, and they are provided with guide-bars j, which slide up and down in a slotted hanger, k, attached to the perch J.

By these rods the treadles are compelled to move up and down in a vertical plane, while the rods Q are free to follow the motions'of the cranks.

This arrangement of the treadles materially facilitates the operation ofthe velocipede,.by reducing the f` requisite motion of the feet one half, o r nearly so.

The friction between the treadles `and the rods Q is reduced to a minimum by the friction-rollers l,placed between said parts, as shown Vin g. l of the drawing, and by placing rollers on the ends of the Vguide-bars vj, the friction between` these bars and the slotted rollers may also be reducedi 1 c i Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isV

1. The cranks 0 and f, connectedby rods Q, in combination with the slotted hanger k, guide-bars jj, and

treadles'?, the latter' having a motion in a vertical plane, whilst the rods Q move longitudinally, substan-v tially as described.l

2. The `guide-bars j, eiitending from the treadles into the slotted hangers It, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

The treadles P, in combination with theifrictionrollers i, and rods Q, substantially as shown.

Witnesses.: i

W. HAUFF, f ERNEST F. KAsTnNHUBnB.

This specification signed by me, this 2d day of March, i 

